Photo: Christina @ wocintechchat.com / UnsplashHiring and setting up
- Work, business and lawyers
Hiring Your First Employee: Legal Steps for Small Business Owners
The legal and tax steps when you hire your first employee, including registration, forms, insurance and wage and hour compliance.
4 min read - Work, business and lawyers
Payroll Taxes and Wage Rules for Small Employers: The Legal Basics
Legal basics for small employers: EIN, withholding and payroll taxes, minimum wage and overtime, exempt versus non-exempt, pay frequency, recordkeeping, workers' compensation insurance and penalties for mistakes.
3 min read - Work, business and lawyers
Employee or Independent Contractor? The Tests Agencies Use
The factors the IRS, Department of Labor and states use to classify workers and what to do if you were misclassified.
4 min read - Legal documents
Independent Contractor Agreements: Terms and Classification Risks
What to put in a contractor agreement and why the label alone does not decide whether someone is a contractor or an employee.
3 min read - Legal documents
Employment Contract Guide for Small Employers
What an employment agreement should include for a new hire, at-will language, compensation, confidentiality and legal compliance.
4 min read - Work, business and lawyers
Employee Handbooks: What They Cover and What They Do Not Promise
What goes into an employee handbook, policies employers commonly include, how at-will language works and tips for small employers.
3 min read
Managing and disciplining
- Work, business and lawyers
Employee Warning Letters: Writing and Responding to Written Discipline
How warning letters work, what a fair written warning includes, how to respond and when a warning may signal a legal problem.
3 min read - Work, business and lawyers
Workplace Investigations: Employee Rights and What to Expect
How workplace investigations work, your rights as a complainant or witness, what to say, confidentiality, retaliation protections and next steps.
4 min read - Work, business and lawyers
Non-Compete Agreements: Are They Enforceable?
How courts treat non-compete clauses, what makes one reasonable and what to do before signing or leaving a job.
4 min read - Work, business and lawyers
Non-Compete vs. Non-Solicit vs. NDA: What Restrictions Can You Face After a Job?
How three common employment restrictions differ and which are most likely to be enforced.
4 min read
Ending employment and managing risk
- Work, business and lawyers
How to Fire an Employee Legally: A Checklist for Employers
A practical checklist for terminating an employee lawfully: at-will rules, documentation, discrimination and retaliation risks, final pay, benefits notices, severance releases and how to hold the conversation.
3 min read - Work, business and lawyers
Employer Liability for Employee Actions and Workplace Safety Basics
When employers can be held responsible for employees' actions, vicarious liability, scope of employment, negligent hiring and supervision, OSHA workplace safety duties, workers' compensation and reducing risk.
3 min read - Work, business and lawyers
How to Protect Your Small Business From Lawsuits: Practical Steps
Practical ways to reduce legal risk: entity choice, contracts, insurance, employee practices, records, compliance and what to do if you are sued.
4 min read - Work, business and lawyers
Business Insurance Basics for Legal Protection: What Policies Small Businesses Need
Which insurance policies help protect small businesses from lawsuits and losses, including general liability, professional liability, workers compensation and cyber coverage.
4 min read - Work, business and lawyers
When Does a Small Business Need a Lawyer? Situations Where Legal Help Pays Off
Clear signs a small business should hire a lawyer, from forming an LLC and contracts to lawsuits and employees, and how to keep legal costs under control.
4 min read
Frequently asked questions
What do I need to do before hiring my first employee?
Get an EIN, register with state agencies, set up payroll and collect required forms.
Can I fire an at-will employee for any reason?
Not for illegal reasons such as discrimination or retaliation.
Does a salary make someone exempt from overtime?
No, duties and salary level both matter.
Can I be responsible for what an employee does?
Yes, within the scope of employment.
When should I talk to an employment lawyer?
Before complex terminations, layoffs, contracts or misclassification fixes.